What is the plight of perpetual proximity management to a small business owner or manager? In other words, what’s the outcome of having to constantly be present, hovering over employees, with up-close management?
Did you know people hate constant up-close management?
Did you know there’s a better way to manage that’s much more effective and much less stressful?
And, did you know businesses who practice a system-based style of management scale up at a much faster pace, without the growth pains, associated with proximity management?
Consider these statements often heard by those suffering from perpetual proximity management:
- “I can never leave the building without all XXX breaking out!”
- “Naturally, I have to do everything around here!”
- “I can’t go to the bathroom without someone interrupting!”
- “I feel like the target of a drive-by shooting just walking thru production!”
- “If it’s gonna get done right, I need to do it!”
- “I have to work until midnight just to have time to get my work done!”
- “There’s not enough hours in a day for me to implement systems!”
What so ironic about these statements is, I remember making every one of them myself!
Bogged down in perpetual proximity management, doing the mundane, will result in burn-out. To clarify, this type of daily grind will burn out not only the business owner, but management and employees as well.
Sadly, the perpetual, never-ending cycle of this insane style of management is how most small businesses operate.
Why Choose Proximity Management Method?
Why do they continue the madness you may ask? Well to be fair, I continued in this lunacy with my first business until the pain got so bad, I had to DECIDE. Either, throw in the towel and shut down my business, or get help.
Thankfully, help finally arrived in the form of a friend handing me a book written by a man named Michael Gerber. The book was the beginning of my freedom from the daily operations; it described how systems cure business chaos. In addition, systems are the answer for how a business owner gains control over their business.
To be certain, systems will put an end to the consequences of the statements mentioned above. However, just like a diet, you must make the decision to do it despite opposition! It’s called leadership!
Did I mention? Great systems work!
Philip Beyer, founder/president of Ebiz Products LLC and founder of Beyer Printing Inc. in Nashville Tenn., is a chronic entrepreneur, business systems analyst and consultant. Author of "System Busters: How to Stop Them in Your Business" and recipient of an InterTech Technology Award for the design and development of System100 business process management software. Beyer speaks to business owners across the country on how to bring lean, sustainable order to their businesses. Contact him at (615) 425-2652.